Her Hybrid
by LacunaVita
Summary: What is the difference between a werewolf and a shapeshifter? A whole world it seems, though they're also undoubtedly the same. Alexander is drowning in the exotic beauty of Leah Clearwater, and finds himself to be in over his head. How much will their relationship suffer from the events of Eclipse? (Full summary inside)
1. Prologue

He froze. If he heard or felt the agonising scream, he wasn't aware of. He only knew he had failed preventing it. Failed saving her. He was supposed to be the one protecting her, not the cause of her downfall. It felt like a million splinters were tearing their way into his heart, as he turned around to find her. It had all happened so fast he had barely had the time to pull himself from the ground before it happened. It was all his fault. Every single second of pain and dread was because of him. Because he had been to victorious to watch his back while taking care of the threat in front of him. Feeling like he was running in quicksand, he came her to aid just two seconds too late. Ripping of the newborns head was a reflex he didn't have the time to care about anymore.

Her breathing was wheezing, troubled when she collapsed on the forest floor, as what should have been relieving and life-giving turned into something excruciating. She was so still. So quiet. This wasn't his Leah. He saw her body trembling as it slowly changed back to its human form, leaving her otherwise beautiful body a limp pile on the ground. _Why didn't you let me take it yourself, you fool?_ He was too paralyzed to say the words out loud, to notice his surroundings as his pack came the struggling vampires and shapeshifters to aid. With trembling hands, he exerted pressure to a wound in her abdomen, trying to push her blood back into her body. It seeped easily through his fingers, bathing them in a sight both beautiful and tempting yet detestable. He saw his big bloody handprint on the head of the newborn when he threw it across the field as it had broken through their defence hoping that it would have the chance to trample down what was already lying. It took mere seconds before there was a complete circle of vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters around them, all taking care of their wounded allied _this_ time.

 _Asgar._

His name sounded hollow in his head. _They failed protecting Asgar and now they've failed her._ The uncontrolled _beasts_ from Seattle had already taken down Asgar, and Helena had been to terrified to notice the upcoming accident. Even now, though there still were so many enemies left, Alexander worried about none of them. Not about the family members he had lost nor the dangers _he_ had put them in. He only worried the coldness which slowly crept its way into the corners of Leah's eyes despite his whispered prays for her not to leave him…

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 **Just a teaser! Please, if you would like to know what happens beforehand, i would appreciate much if you hit the review button, and read on to the first chapter!**

 **\- LV ;)**


	2. The Mutual Differences

**Hello and welcome to ''Her Hybrid'', based on the ideas from FeralG3. I was requested to write this story with her as my second in command, and I hope that you, who have been so unlucky to stumble upon this story, will enjoy the coming chapters of drama and, who know, maybe even love and juicy passion? ;) I/we do not own any rights to the characters, those belong to our awesome muse, Stephanie Meyer!**

 **First, just a heads up: I'm not native speaking English, so I apologise in advance because of the mistakes that will come… I'll try to avoid them…**

 **Second, I tend to use sarcasm as it is common in my mother tongue, though I don't know how much of it will occur in this story. Just thought you'd want to know! ;)**

 **Third, (I know this is getting a little long, bear with me) I want to point out the difference in this story between the werewolf and the shapeshifter. Shapeshifters are the original from Twilight such as the Quileute Tribe, while werewolves are not wolf looking in that sense, but resembles many of the features which the shapeshifters have. Their appearance is more human-looking, and beside their speed, strength and heightened senses, they have a few abilities which will be revealed during the story. Also, they can change any time they'd like, but are bound to shift at a full-moon.**

 **Summary of ''Her hybrid'': Set during Eclipse.**

 **Alexander Ludwig, the one and only vampire/werewolf hybrid, have wandered the face of the earth since the early 17th century. No matter his liking of the cold Scandinavian grounds, he finds himself forced to move around as a matter of preventing suspicion from being raised about their never aging bodies. It is a matter of coincidence that brings him to the north of America with his father's pack when he stumbles upon an exotic shapeshifter named Leah Clearwater. If he imprints on her, or he thinks of her as his mate, he has no idea; he only knows that even if he wanted to, he can't stop himself from being near her. Will she repay his affection? Will tragic events take her from him? Only reading this story will tell!**

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 **Chapter 1. The mutual differences**

''We'll always return. You know that.'' Alexander Ludwig Gustafson met his father's eyes in the dim light. He had always hated having to leave their home time after time to not awake suspicion amongst the mortals. Even with their ignorance, some would eventually notice none of their pack, nor himself or his father had aged over the few years they had lived there. He knew his father felt the same. He could literally _feel_ it. That burden had only strengthened their relationship over the years though. It was a common thing amongst werewolves, that they could feel the emotions and sentiment of those close to them. Luckily, there had never been any hard feelings between Alexander and his father over the almost five hundred years since his birth.

None had ever though it possible that the consummation between a vampire and a werewolf would have turned out the way it did, but apparently, fate was a strange thing. Against the odds, their physical relationship had turned into something more; into the vampire-werewolf hybrid which Alexander was. He had no memory of her nonetheless, his mother, that is. He only knew she had disappeared shortly after a purse a few years after giving birth to her baby boy. No one had heard from her since, and for all they knew, she had died. His father had never told Alexander much, but he could still feel the pain within him. Even in that exact moment, he could feel it, silently poking the edge of his father's mind with a scorching knife.

''I know…'' For them, it was quite uncommon to speak out loud, and it actually surprised him how deep his father's voice was. It had become more of a habit than an actual decision to only communicate telepathically even though it would always only be through emotions and not words. But sometimes, words were more exact than a feeling. Easier to rely on. ''Nonetheless, I am going to miss this place…'' He looked around in the hall of their old mansion. The ceiling so far above was predominated by shadows, out of reach from the grey morning light which shone through the great upper windows and landed on the balcony along the walls. The colours were slightly odd because of the shapeless mosaic, but it only added to the charm of the old house. Even though it was build more than 300 years ago, it didn't show on the rectangular tiles on the floor, the great wooden pillars or the carpets hanging on the walls that they had been hanging there for at least as long. The room was big, the biggest in the house except considered the ballroom, and was maybe also the one he would miss the most. He would always love the smell it had when you entered through the great oak doors, a smell that was indescribable; the smell of home. It always seemed like that - there was just some things you could never describe, except with maybe that simple word.

The sound of nearing footsteps shook Alexander from his thoughts. ''Gustaf, whenever you guys are ready. We've just finished packing.'' Asgar's deep thick accent flowed down the stairs behind him, lingering, as always if he was afraid he had interrupted something. Even though he had been with Alexander's father almost from the beginning, he had a strange awe for him, almost considering his words and actions as holy. After all, it wasn't that strange; he was his chief after all. And as the chief's son, Alexander was at least as respected as his father even though he hadn't even lived half the time they had.

''I see no reason for further delay then. Tell the others we're leaving.'' As Asgar's tall fair forms was out of sight, his father observed him with his ever so cornflower blue eyes that resembled his own so much. ''You're ready?''

§-§-§

As they sat on the airplane about to go overseas, it was a melancholic feeling to once again be moving away. It had happened so many times over the years, that Alexander by now should be used to it. But… he wasn't. It had always bothered him beyond imagination. Never to be able to settle down for more than a couple of years before having to go again. At least if he needed some other company than what his pack could provide. If they stayed isolated, they could have stayed if their hearts had desired. Not that he didn't like their company at all, but after almost five hundred years, things could get a little… monotonous from time to time.

There weren't exactly many people to engage with in their small pack. Besides his father and himself, there was only five others, a distant cousin, Joar and the two couples; Asgar and Helena, and Frederic and Sòl. Biologically, they would never age, a fact that could possibly even drain the most energetic person in the world, but it seemed that finding your significant other changed that. Not the thing about aging, but the meaning of pointlessness. They all seemed so happy and content that it sometimes made Alexander speculate what it would be like. To devote yourself to someone without boundaries. Even though he had always devoted his loyalty to his father and his pack, it was something he had yet to experience.

It was exactly that feeling he had when he looked around on the couples surrounding him on the plane. They all had _that_ look on their faces. It took him some time to decipher. It was the look of love. It made him quite bittersweet to think of, and the fact that he couldn't describe it himself, that made him close his eyes, and pretend he was sleeping on the rest of the sixteen-hour long flight.

§-§-§

The smell of rain hit his nose instantly as he stepped out of the airport. Even when out of season and given the late hour of which their plane had arrived, the great halls had been crowded, and the fresh afternoon air was a great change. Taking a deep breath, Alexander let the cold air shake him from his slightly sleepy mind. Before him a few people rushed to the waiting caps, eager to get to them before the others. A woman, dressed in a fancy looking grey suit, yelled into a headset while making stressed, angry gestures in front of her. _Probably on her way to a business meeting_ , Alexander thought to himself. It wouldn't surprise him that even though darkness had settled long ago, she was going to attend a meeting in Seattle, within ten minutes based on the way she scolded the person she was talking to, poor soul.

Someone thumped his shoulder as he realised he had stared rather obvious at the scene before him. He turned around and looked at his cousin and Frederic next to him. ''So, shouldn't we go say hello to the old town? I'm sure it has changed a lot over the last eleven decades.'' Joar raised his dark brow in question. It had become their own little tradition to get wasted whenever they moved to a 'new' town. The rest of the pack thought it reckless, but had learned to cope with the two boys everlasting boyness - after all, they still looked like someone in their late teens and had only lived a few centuries compared to the rest of them.

''I'm sure it has. But if the amount of spirits hasn't decreased, I'm not quite sure how much of it you'll have time to notice.'' He jokingly nudged his arm as he turned to his father. ''Father, would you mind taking our bags with you?'' Alexander was not sincerely fond of walking around with his drunk cousin and at the same time should deal with both their lockage. It could turn out to be a difficult situation to handle. His father silently agreed by picking up the suitcase and wishing them a good night before he turned to hail two taxis. His tall, masculine form was kind of misplaced in his surroundings, only witnessing the era he was born was a lot different than the present days. To him, people had to seem as hobbits in comparison.

The ride for Seattle took barely fifteen minutes, and it didn't take long before the cabin of the car was illuminated by bright shining lights. The wide street was on both sides full of neon signs colouring their surroundings in different shades of red, blue, green and probably any other colour in the spectrum. Alexander took in how much the city had changed since they last lived there, its size doubled at least fifty times, and its height dazzling. He remembered this street while it was still covered in cobblestone, surrounded by smaller or bigger shops around the town square. Now buildings were rising so far above him, standing in contrast to the cloudy sky behind them. People were gathering in the streets despite the cold weather, enjoying their Saturday night. Joar seemed too to be taking in the changes on the way his cobalt blue eyes wandered over the shops, and from time to time turned to have a better look at a group of girls. Alexander shook his head. It could always amuse him the player as his cousin tended to be.

When they were dropped of a few hundred meters down the street, only armed with their wallets, they immediately both took in the smell of a big city. The smell of gas from cars, of freshly fried fries from the shop across the street, the slightly scent of garbage and urine that streamed towards them from an alley on their right - The smells of life. It was nice to sense them in that amount in comparison to the little Danish town they had lived near the last time even though Alexander loved it there. Denmark was a beautiful country, the place where his father was born originally back in the 900ds. But compared to this, that city could only partly be called a city.

Before he could dwell anymore in his thoughts, Joar had already dragged him inside a night club almost too crowded to room two more peoples. The music was loud and upbeat, and Alexander was pleased to hear he knew the music which blasted from the big speakers placed tactically around the room. Maybe this wouldn't be so different after all. They pushed their way towards the bar, as he smelled it. Buried beneath the scent of perfume, sweat and alcohol, were a both familiar and unknown aroma. It reminded him of his house and his family. Turning around in the room, he tried to locate the source, but it was nowhere to be found before it had disappeared. He shrugged, and thought it had to be his mind fooling him. Of course it was. What in the world could even resemble their, his family's, personal scent?

Not giving him a chance to warm up, Joar had already placed several shots in front of Alexander, an equal amount in front of himself. ''To our old hometown!'' If it hadn't been because of his keen werewolf hearing, Alex was sure he would never have heard his cousin's shout. With an approving nod, it took them very few seconds to bottom the glasses and ordering their favourite, still with the slight burn of the tequila in their throats. They enjoyed the delicious taste of dry martini as they were enjoying the life around them. It didn't take them long until they continued onwards on their pub-crawl. In a city like this, it could very well take them a few days to finish it, so there was no reason to be delaying it further.

Pub after pub after bar after nightclub passed in an endless amount, and it was well onto the morning when Alex walked steadily out of a bar which white light illuminated the street outside the window, when he smelled the scent he hadn't been able to find earlier on the evening. A little lightheaded, despite his supernatural resistance of alcohol, his eyes searched the streets. At first he thought nothing of it, until he noticed the scent growing stronger as he crossed the street. At that time Joar had noticed it at well and twirled himself out of the blonde's arms which he had found himself locked in. They shared a puzzled look, and both turned to the task of hunting down whatever, or _whoever_ , it was.

It took them some few minutes for his cousin to dismiss his company, but after that they were ready to go. They didn't have to search for long though. A few blocks away, they saw them. Their group was rather big, compared to many of the others which roamed the streets now. There might have been seven or eight, maybe more, to be determined by how many of them was scattered around in the club amongst the other partying people. With their copper coloured skin and their dark hair, they looked as if they belonged to one big family. To Alexander, it seemed as if the boys were all very young, only based on their behaviour, not on their appearances given they were all resembling his father in height and the size of their muscles.

In comparison to the rest of their company, they were almost.. too _summerish_ to look at, only wearing shorts and thin t-shirts. It was so freaky. But at the same time as Alex wondered who they could be, he felt oddly connected to them, yet they were so different from himself and his family. Sure, they couldn't be wolves too, could they? Well, they had the smell, but… It was just really weird to run into others like himself. and especially this many! Over the years of his life it had only happened twice. Back in 1621 during the purge, they had momentarily lived amongst others of their own kind, hoping the increased amount would protect their race. Back then they had thought wrong though, as it only made it easier for the vampires hunting them to find them. His father and the rest of his current pack had all survived, only leaving a few behind such as Alexander's mother and Helena's brother and sisters…

The second time had been during the first world war. He had run into them in a small town, just outside London. The three nomads had been more savage and barbaric in their choice of living, and therefore they had quickly parted again after realizing that the two packs were not compatible. But this time, Alexander had a gut that these wolves were different. Their laughter and the way they acted around one another was telling him all he needed to know.

Seemingly a little too drunk, they laughed and danced for more than two minutes before they noticed the two pale men which stared open mouthed at them from the entrance. At first it was one of the shorter ones who caught eye contact with Alex and returned his gaze with alert. As he poked an elder boy behind him, it was as if Alexander sensed a connection between the two. The same bond he and his pack had with his father. This obviously had to be their alpha, if so they turned out to be what Alexander suspected. By the time, he was almost certain. They had to be.

If yet a little uncertain, Alex nodded at them, wondering putting a small smile on his lips as to show them he wasn't hostile. It seemed that the wonderment was returned and he realised it had to be as rare for the two boys which had noticed them to meet others resembling themselves. Dragging along a few of those who stood the nearest, two of the tallest boys, the one Alexander had earlier felt had some leading features, approached them if not carefully. If he had doubted it before, he was now sure that they were not quite human. The heat that radiated from them was on the border of fatal if they had been so. Also, the way they naturally shaped a V-formation with the leader in the middle, a position they themselves used when hunting, stated their animal forces driving them. While clearing his throat, Alex straightened his back to his full height, now looking the two bodyguards directly in the eyes while the leader was still two inches or so taller. It was not often Alex found himself to be the shorter with his, if he should be tempted to admit it, impressing 6'5.

''Gentlemen.'' As the man in front spoke, the now remaining five of them still placed near the dancefloor, turned their attention to the small gathering at the door. He saw their alertness even though their lightheaded state of mind.

''My name is Sam Uley.''

Alexander would have bet he flexed his muscles a little as he stood in front of them, probably his instincts to make sure everybody knew who was the leader in this company taking over. There was no cold in his actions, only firm and cautious wonderment. Alex smiled at him. ''Were here to do no harm. My name is Alexander Gustafson. And this is Joar, my cousin.'' He held out his hand, but when the man who had presented himself as Sam Uley didn't show any intentions to shake it, he awkwardly let it drop. ''Can we buy you and your group a drink, perhaps?'' Though he felt a nervous knot in his stomach as he waited for an answer he showed no sign of discomfort to the strangers. It was a bad thing to seem unsure of yourself in front of a potential allied. Or enemy.

''Sure. This is Embry,'' he nodded at the guy on his right, gesturing of whom he spoke. ''And this is Paul. The little guy in the back is Seth.'' Alex had noticed the seemingly younger boy who had snuck up behind his friends, but had not paid him much attention. He radiated with excitement, and was probably head over heels with the situation and the fact he was mentioned. He smiled brightly at Alex and then Joar, turning around and leading the way back to the rest of the group. They were quickly introduced to the remaining four people standing there, Jacob, Quil, Collin and Brady, where the two last seemed to be a little too young to be hanging out with the elder boys, especially in a bar like this. It was no place for young boys, and that's why Alex felt so relieved when he saw the two and Seth drinking primarily sodas.

Alexander's suspension was quickly confirmed as they with no hesitation asked them if they were the only two in their pack. Joar's mouth fell open at the straight forwardness, but Alexander appreciated it. There was nothing more awkward than when you were afraid to ask a question - especially one as urgent and mutual as this. He began to like this Sam guy quite much though he had only known him for a few minutes. His eyes and posture seemed more relaxed by then, almost as if he was comfortable in their company.

''No. there are five others. My father, and two couples. But that's all. We have a mansion not far from here. Bought it a few decades ago.'' _Gosh._ If he had known he would be conversing with other people he would have held back on the tequila.

''Decades?'' Sam looked surprised.

''Yeah, I think so… Joar wasn't it back in 1788 we bought the property?''

''Uh, we bo.. we bought… yeah. But we only built the ho.. house in 97' I think!'' He quickly returned to his conversation with Embry and Paul, dawdling through some story he was entertaining the rest of the pack with. Sam still looked at Alex puzzled.

''Something wrong?'' He took another sip of his Moscow Mule.

''How old are you..?''

Joar heard his question too now where the packs interest was obviously caught on by Sam's question. He caught his eyes, staring at him in a moment before they both began laughing.

''Twenty-one! How old are _you_?''

''Twenty five.. I stopped aging a few years ago, but I mean, I mean, when.. were you born..?''

Alex couldn't grasp the captiousness that suddenly fell over his fellow wolves. ''1614. Why?''

They all stared at them as if they were insane or like if he had grown an extra paw or something. ''What? It's not that long ago! When were you born then? 1800 or something like that? Which one of you is the oldest?''

''Sam is.'' Alex turned his attention to the smaller boy, Seth. His eyes shone with excitement again.

''And when was Sam born?'' He asked Seth as much as Sam or anyone else. There was a heavy silence for some few moments before Sam chose to answer.

''Like I said,'' he gulped the rest of his mojito in one mouthful. ''I am. I was born in 1986.''

No one said anything. Alex stared back into Sam's eyes, searching for a joke that was not there. _He truly is that young_ it suddenly struck him. He felt like he had been splashed with a bucket of water. His mind tried to cope the information that was thrown at it too very fast. He had only gotten very little information out of these so-called shapeshifters as he had learned them to be. He knew nothing of their tribe or their nature, he only knew what they were. He only knew their deepest secret, but nothing _about_ them. Simply to say, it surprised him to hear that they were so young. He had been in the believe that werewolves were a dying breed, that they were so few left around the world that it could take decades to find other beings like themselves. He hadn't only just learned about an entire new breed in their universe, he had also learned they were incredibly _young._

It was as if his mind was working in slow-motion as he was unravelling what his sub consciousness was trying to tell him. Because he was a hybrid, he had always been able to change to his wolf-form ever since he was very little. The first times he had only been five years old, and that wasn't even because he had wanted to. It had just happened. For others, like Joar, Asgar, Helena, Frederic, Sòl, even his own father, it had been because their blood had awoken to protect them from their mortal enemy. If these guys were anything like the werewolves from his own pack…

Liquid flooded the small table as the glass splintered with a shrieking sound in his shaking hand. His voice was deeper and more threatening than it had ever been in a long time when he spoke again.

''Please tell me, that there are absolutely _no_ bloodsuckers in this town. ''

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 **What will happen next? How will the werewolves react learning about the Cullens? If you'd find the time to leave a review, I would appreciate it! Have a nice day everyone! ^^**


	3. New Perspectives

**Hello again everyone! (Unless your new, and therefore WELCOME!)**

 **Thank you for your lovely reviews on the last chapter! I was not expecting any reviews or anything really, and I was pleasantly surprised to see so many positive reactions on my story! I hope to be updating this story regularly, and will gladly receive your views on the story, and please come with suggestions! Thanks to those who made me aware of the improvements which could be made in chapter 1. Saved my butt there;)**

 **I do not own anything, and I apologise for any mistakes ^^**

 _ **-LV**_

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 _''_ _Please tell me, that there are absolutely no bloodsuckers in this town. ''_

 _§-§-§_

''Well?! Is there?!''

Alexander couldn't focus on the people in front of him. His vision was blurry from his attempt to contain his temper. He was not to give into the urge to change into his wolf-form and tear something apart. _Someone, perhaps._ He focused on the cold, wet liquid he could feel on his hands. It was soothingly cool from the recently melted ice-cubes.

''I'm not happy about it either, but it is not what you think.'' Sam rose his hands in what was supposed to be a surrendering, calming gesture. Or, so Alex thought. He felt more than saw when he was about to place a hand on his shoulder.

''NOT WHAT I THINK?'' He spat pulling himself away from his touch, realising too late he was shouting. He lowered his voice enough so that the people staring at them couldn't hear what he said next. ''You have no idea what those filthy leeches have put my family through! How can you live with them?! They are an abomination! Those monsters should not be allowed to even _exist!''_

He held Sam's gaze with a furious glare. It was because of those bloodsucking monsters he and his family had had to hide for several decades, the reason why he had lived his first forty-two years amongst trees and mountains. It was because of them his father had lost, not only Alexander's mother, his imprintee and his wife, but also so many of his friends. It had been a while since he had given any thought to them, seeing as they hadn't crossed such being for almost a decade by now. He couldn't believe that they might have snuck into his life once more, like a tumour which never really could be escaped though it only was present rarely.

In the words purest sense, he loathed them, though he was partly one of them. But no matter how his genetics had fallen out, he would rather have killed himself than live like one of them. His mother, which he had only vague memories of, had given him even more efficient powers and abilities than any other wolf in his pack could dream of. Not only was he stronger and faster, but he was also always the one who would scout their surroundings because of his improved vision and hearing. But none of those abilities were worth the urges.

He hadn't been very young when his father had realised how dangerous his son was for the humans which they tried to live side by side with. He had done everything that was within his power to contain his son's thirst, but nothing he ever did seemed to soothe the flames that made his throat burn like a livid bonfire. Alexander had learned to contain it, but it had taken him decades, which he luckily spent living in the darkness of the northern forests, to maintain the balance of lives lost and saved.

He could still remember all of their names. Every single name, of every single person which life he had taken from them during the years. They had become almost a prayer to him, a reason to remember why he never again would do such thing. Never again take away the endless possibilities which they had had in front of them. He had found their names afterwards so he could put his actions into words.

Oppose many others, he knew, his list was short, but it didn't make it any easier to remember or think of. He had been completely abstinent for over three hundred years by now and only lived on the foods of humans. It didn't taste nearly as good, but at least it gave him the opportunity to feed without being a monster. He had no intention to ever become like those whom he hated more than anything in the world. To become like his mother once had been.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Sam was about to say something, but the alpha was cut off by Joar who, shaking, stood to storm out of the bar. One of the men, Jacob, clasped his arm tightly in an attempt to stop him, and they quickly took their shot to explain the situation. ''Please, just listen for a moment before doing anything rash. They are the good guys. Believe it or not, they are a friendly coven.''

§-Jacob's point of view-§

Jacob did his best not to let Joar's arm out of his grip. It was a lot harder than it sounded ''Friendly?!'' He whispershouted. Apparently, Jacob's attempt to stop him had worked because he now twirled around to face him again. ''Now this should be a good story! When will the unicorns and goblins walk through that door?!'' He pointed aggressively towards the entrance, his whole body trembling with a wry laugh.

''It's true! They don't kill humans. They feed on animals.'' He could hear Sam's voice trying to be both hush and honest at the same time. If this newly arrived pack suddenly decided on going to exterminate the Cullens, it would end badly. Jacob wasn't sure who would win, but even though he couldn't help but feeling tempted to roof for the wolves to win, he felt oddly frightened by the thought of the leeches being destroyed. He couldn't understand why. It wasn't like he had any fond feelings towards them. Especially not _him._ But Bella would surely be devastated if anything happened to her precious bloodsuckers. Even though he probably would be the one she turned to if it ever happened, Jacob knew he never could replace _him._ He would never be enough for her.

But somehow, the thought of the little pixie being ripped apart, or even the so human-like doctor Fang, made him feel cold inside.

''Animals...?'' Sam had clearly caught Alexander off guard with that statement. Jacob looked at the tall Scandinavian male, taking in the puzzled look in his eyes. He was sure he would have felt the same if he had been in their situation. It wasn't an everyday experience to meet 'nice' vampires.

''Animals.'' Sam confirmed in a soothing voice. ''The Cullens live outside Forks, a small town four hours from here. We live nearby, in La Push, and not once, while living here, have they caused any harm to any humans, nor us by the matter of fact. Jacob's grandfather made a treaty with them a long time ago. They are not to bite any humans or in any other way neglect them, nor may they enter our land, and they have yet to break those rules.''

Jacob suppressed a growl as his mind once again drifted back to Bella. She was a human. They had caused her harm. Maybe not physically, but it was still bad enough for him. Sam sent him a pointed glare, telling him to shut up. ''Before they break the treaty, we will not touch them.'' He turned his gaze to Joar, and eventually back to Alexander. Dark curls had fallen into his blue eyes, but he didn't seem to notice. He stared back at Sam, obviously processing all this new information.

Both men had stopped shaking and Jacob could smell blood. He looked for the source, and saw several small cuts on Alex's hand which was still clasping tightly around the broken glass. It was obvious that it had cut through his skin, Jacob could see, given that his pale skin was coloured by small trails of blood drifting towards the table. But there were only small pink stripes where there on a human would still be a bleeding wound.

 _Perhaps we're are not that different at all,_ Jacob wondered. There was an awkward silence, and he kept looking between the two, as Alexander suddenly took in a deep breath. _Had he been holding it all that time? Was that natural?_ He had been silent in a very long time, Jacob realised. And now that he began breathing, it was obvious that he hadn't for quite a while.

''That changes the situation.'' Was all he said.

There was an awkward and tense silence for a time as he took some napkins from the dispenser and ran them over the spilled liquid. Joar had also calmed down by then, and simply stared at his cousin, almost like he was waiting for him to take the lead and do _something._ Jacob had suspected Alexander to be the leader, or at least, higher ranked than Joar. On the way Joar looked at him, Jacob was right in his assumption. It was the same way many of the other looked at Sam, or even sometimes, at himself. Not that he had ever wanted anyone to look at him like that. He had never asked for this life, and certainly he had never wanted to be a role model. If it hadn't been for his damn ancestors and their awesome powers, he wouldn't have been. But apparently, there was no such thing as escaping your fate. He had learned that by now.

Another minute or so went by while everyone watched the werewolf gather the pieces and throwing both soaked, bloody napkins and the remaining shards in the dumpster behind the table.

''Well. I see we have a thing or two to learn about each other then.'' His voice was calm, cold and controlled as he spoke. He turned his gaze to all of the eight shapeshifters, resting at his cousin for a moment or two and then back to Sam.

''This might not be the place…'' He answered with a rather uncomfortable, distrusting glance around the bar. ''We were about to head home anyway, if you'd like to follow us?'' Jacob and Sam, as well as everybody looked at them with a bit uncertainty. They were not to question Sam's authority in front of others, but at this moment, he strongly wanted to. It didn't seem a too good idea to bring two tempered werewolves with them back to the reservation. They didn't know much about the two strange men who had approached them, but their first impression of them was not danger at least. But some people were hard to read. You never knew who they were beneath the fur. It was always the one looking most innocent and sweet that ended up hurting you the most.

They agreed on joining them on their journey back to the reservation. As it was for their kind, it was much faster to run than to drive. It didn't take them long to walk out of the city to the nearby forest area. The snow still clung to the trees here, though it was soon to be spring. Jacob was tense as they began to undress themselves in front of practically strangers. Though nudity between males, and even females, had become quite common for him over the past months, it wasn't his favourite thing about being a wolf. But what the hell? Sure they had seen it before.

As he pulled of his shirt, he glanced towards Alexander and Joar who still stood completely dressed. It was… odd. They would surely rip their clothes apart if they changed like that, but that was their own business. He quickly tied his clothing around his ankle, and felt the heat and trembling as soon as he decided to. His body arched into the air, his bones and muscles bending and cracking until he stood with four paws on the ground. He looked around, watching as the others joined him and felt the little disturbance in the air around them. He could hear the same questions repeated over and over in their minds. _What are they doing? Why are they still humans? Why don't they change?_

The questions were all the same and repeated over and over with thoughts of possible reasons to answer the questions. He could hear Jared jokingly suggesting that they might be embarrassed to show themselves. _Maybe their height makes up for something,_ he barked.

 _Guys! Pull yourselves together!_ Sam's command was immediately obeyed.

 _Sorry, boss!_

 _It's just a little odd, ya know?_

 _Come on! It was just a joke!_

Everybody was mind-speaking as one. It was always so confusing when they did that. We didn't mean to. It just sorta' happened.

After Collin had changed, and his thoughts had joined the chorus, they all tried discretely to glance at the two humans. It literally surprised him to see them standing there, gawking at the pack as if each of them had grown an extra head. Jacob could hear the chorus of chuckles by their hanging jaws, as if their transformations actually were a weird sight. _Not for a wolf, it shouldn't be,_ Jacob thought wryly. Even as he felt the cheeriness of his pack, Jacob felt a little uneasy. He turned his head to meet Sam's eyes, the feeling mirrored in his alpha's gaze.

When Sam gave a friendly huff, and nodded his head in the direction they were going, they finally pulled themselves together. As on a que, Joar pulled of his shirt, reaching it to Alexander who held his hand out. It was the weirdest thing Jacob had ever seen. Joar looked like he was changing in slow motion; his back arched and his dark body hair grew with a few inches. But, it wasn't like he expected him to. Jacob couldn't help but focus on how his hands tightened into fists as his fingernails grew longer - thicker. He could as well have stepped out of an old horror movie. He looked exactly as you would expect a werewolf to look.

He crouched slightly as he walked, shaking his head to get his hair out of his eyes. Despite all that, he still looked, well… human. It was surprisingly how much _human_ he looked. That's why Jacob was so shocked to see his eye. They were still blue. But they were _glowing_ in the dark night, a few shades lighter than the sky so far above. He could hear the simultaneous reactions from the others along with his own awe. None had ever seen anything like this. They had expected him to look more… woolfy.

When Joar joined the pack, still standing on two legs, they all expectantly turned their heads to watch Alexander. He started walking towards them, a grin on his face. ''I am truly sorry if you were expecting me to change, but I can follow up just fine like a human.''

 _What does he mean? He can't run that fast!_

 _He had no idea what he's talking about!_

 _Follow in human pace?_

 _It's going to take HOURS!_

 _STOP IT! Just let him do what he wants! Give him a chance before mocking him! We have no idea of what their capable of yet, okay?_ Sam's aggravated voice broke the chaos as it always did. God, Jacob appreciated when he did that!

 _Hey Jake! Stop the butt-licking! It's disgusting!_

Jacob growled at a barking Seth, obviously proud of his joke since everybody else was laughing as well. Even Sam, which was quite an accomplishment. Before they could make any more fun of him, Jacob set into a run towards home. He could hear the others following, and saw in their minds how Joar lowered to four feet, easily keeping up with Collin and Brady in the back. But what really surprised him with awe, was that Alexander suddenly appeared on his right, running closely by his side. Jacob sent him a puzzled stare and he simply began laughing. ''I'll explain later.'' Was simply all he said.

§-§-§

Alexander had never seen anything like this. When they arrived to La Push a little more than an hour later, he was so fascinated by the pack and how it worked to realise he was staring at their naked bodies. He quickly averted his eyes, his mind filled with questions. He had so much to ask he didn't even knew where to begin.

Joar approached him in a less hairy state than he had been on the run, and Alex quickly threw his shirt to him. His scent had intensified a lot since he had just been in his wolf form, and therefore Alexander could have smelled him miles away if he had wanted to. He waited patiently as people got dressed in the cold winter air, and slowly the group began moving towards some smaller houses which laid only a few hundred meters ahead.

To be honest; they were adorable. The houses, that is. Almost like you would expect a real-life dollhouse to look. He had after a few hundred years, gotten quite used to living in big houses, mansions or apartments since money hadn't exactly been a problem to them. He studied the 'houses' as they passed. Many of them were in brown or neutral colours, made of wood and only in one level. There was a few in two levels, but they were rare as they walked through the wakening streets.

He could see and hear many people in the middle of their morning routines, waiting for the sun to arise. It would be about another hour before it showed itself and would cast its light upon the reservation. If he had been back in Denmark, the sun would have rose many hours ago, and he would probably have been sitting in the cafeteria, drinking coffee with his co-workers from the manor researching centre. It had been one of his more favourable jobs, given he had visited many of the mansions in his life and even lived in some of them. It had granted him a few advantages during his research and his friends there, worshipped him for his skills even though he only shared a small part of his knowledge. He missed it. He missed his friends, the job, the morning pastry as one of them always brought, even the old mansion with its crooked stairs and narrow corridors.

As he realised the others had stopped, he took another look around. They stood in front of a small, red wooden house, though it probably would be more fitting to call it a cabin. It was another one-level with a black roof and small black windows. Even in the dim morning light, he could easily spot the flakes in the red paint, witnessing that it was an old lady. To his surprise, they all entered the house as if they owned the place. The door wasn't even locked though it was in the middle of the night. _Trusting their neighbours, eh?_ A few of the shapeshifters immediately crashed on the few seats which the house provided while the others sat on the floor, or simply stood by the walls. Surely this place wasn't built for this many people, especially not by the size of Quileute shapeshifters. He and Joar stood awkwardly by the door as the took in how a few of them even charged at the sparingly containing kitchen. There were only five of the eight shapeshifters left, and Alex couldn't help but wonder where the missing three had gone.

There was a consecutive sequence of metallic noises from down the other end of the house, and before long it stopped, being replaced by a deep sound accompanied by creaking floorboards. No one seemed to take notice of the noice. Alexander leaned slightly forward so he could see down the small hallway that obviously led to other rooms. He was met by eyes of the deepest brown he had ever seen. The man was obviously in his late forties, maybe even early fifties, and had a face which seemed so _old_. Of course, it was a little harsh to think of him like that, but he did. He did look old. But something about his eyes, made him timeless. They matched the long hair which hung on either side of his face framing it.

''Alexander, Joar. This is Billy Black - the leader of our council. Billy this is…'' Sam hesitated, unsure of how to describe the situation. He looked questioningly at both of them, obviously not knowing what to say. Alexander quickly stepped forward, reaching out for Billy to shake his hand. It was only then he noticed the man was in a wheelchair. ''Alexander Gustafson. And this is my cousin Joar. We're similar to you and your tribe.'' His voice was calm and firm as he spoke, noticing the lines of a hidden frown appearing on Billy's face. He saw how he sent Sam a questioning look, and when he nodded, Billy's eyes lightened up with surprise.

''I see. It's not often we meet… _others_ like ourselves. Or, like them, more like it.'' He nodded, gesturing at the five wolves around him.

''So I have understood. It is not an everyday experience for us either, I must admit, though I already have concluded we have our differences.''

''What kind of differences, if I may ask?''

Billy listened in fascination as Jacob, his son apparently, explained him about their meeting and their run back here. He let Joar explain the basics of their nature, only not mentioning the rest of their pack. Alexander could see how Billy's eyebrows slowly made their way to his hairline, inching closer the longer Joar spoked. When he was done, he simply sat in complete fascination for a few moments, staring at the two people who had made their way into his living room.

There was a complete silence in the house, if not to mention the sound of Embry and Paul stuffing food down their throats. Seth moved a little restless along the wall as he scouted out the window. Billy still hadn't taken his eyes of Alexander, nor had he said anything or even moved. Alex began to feel a little unsure under his wise gaze, feeling as it could see right through him. Maybe he could? Who knew. Maybe he had some kind of ancient tribe-magic which allowed him to read his mind. _Mr. Black? Can you hear me? Anybody there?_ Nothing. Billy showed no reaction to Alexander mentally calling out to him. That meant he luckily didn't have to be careful or ashamed of his thoughts around him then. He felt a little silly. Of course there was no such thing as mindreading. He had only hoped for a few moments. It could have been ass-kicking awesome if it had been possible!

Finally releasing him with his gaze, Mr. Black turned his eyes to Joar, examining him the same way he seemed to have done with Alexander. Finally feeling freer to move, Alex turned around to see Seth pointing out the window in the still lightening morning fog. ''That's about time they got here, lazy asses.''

In the distance, there was heard a vague 'Hey!' as a reproaching, defensive reaction to Seth's last comment. Based on the volume, the person talking was still obviously far away, but it wasn't their superior hearing that surprised him. The voice belonged to a female. And because she had to be a long way down the road, she had to be a shapeshifter too. Not that he hadn't expected there to be any female shapeshifters, but somehow, he knew it was a rare occasion. Amongst themselves, a female werewolf was not a common thing, but it was certainly not rare either. He had known quite an amount of female werewolves, including the two in his pack, but this was different. Even though he hadn't seen or met her yet, he knew she was a shapeshifter. And he knew she was special.

He could hear at least six people walking together in a group. He could part their footsteps. Three of them he recognised as Collin, Quil and Brady. The fourth was a tad slower, more like the person was dragging their feet after them a little more than the others. Even the persons breathing was more troubled as if the walk was a physically exertion. The remaining two was a little lighter than the others. Probably two women. One of them wore heels, so he was quite sure that one was a woman at least.

After what seemed like an eternally long minute, he could hear that they were outside the door. He moved further into the house, allowing the newcomers more space to enter. He had to pull his arms close to his sides as he walked to stand beside Billy's wheelchair. How six more people were supposed to fit in this room, he had no idea. There was barely enough space for eight that already was there. But the shapeshifters didn't look like someone who wasn't used to it. Sam and Jacob sat at the erratic dining table, while Jared took the floor by their feet and Paul stood close by with Seth. The couch was now empty, for some reason, and he wondered if this was the time to take his shot. He didn't get far with that thought.

He turned around to face the door as it opened, where he saw an old man, probably a few years older than Billy, enter the door with a look around in the crowded room. He immediately laid his eyes on Joar, and then Alex, but said nothing as he moved for the couch. He was obviously not walking well, and that explained why they had cleared it so abruptly. He was closely followed by a woman. A woman in heels. She smiled kindly at him, before sitting on the only empty spot in the room. Honestly, it surprised him a little. It seemed as if she had no wonder of why he or his cousin was there, but simply accepted it. Brady, Quil or Collin had had to have explained the situation to her on their walk here. While straightened her shirt a little after laying her jacket over the armrest, she caringly stroked her hand through Seth's hair as the person in question sat beside the couch. She obviously had to be his mother or aunt. Maybe even his sister, though she looked a little too mature for that.

Quill, Brady and Collin entered awkwardly as there was very little space left in the room. He was sorry for the last person who right now was still standing outside in the light rain. It took another thirty seconds, to get everybody squeezed enough together for the person to enter and close the door behind them. He couldn't see who it was, but he was pretty sure he caught sight of a distinctly smaller person behind the three shapeshifters who blocked his vision. He was curious of who it was, but it would be too obvious if he moved to get a better look, and therefore he decided to stay where he was.

Instead, he discretely took a deep breath through his nose, focusing his senses on the person who had yet to reveal her identity to him. Because he was now positive that it in fact _was_ a woman. Based on, first, that the person was smaller and filled less, but also the smell… The most prominent was the one of wolf, of course - the same that clung to the whole area. She even had her own personal wolf-y smell, just like each of the boys had. But it was, well… _cleaner._ Purer. Like the forest that had surrounded their earlier home, just after dawn where the morning sun was slowly vaporising the dew on the leaves and in the grass. His eyes zoomed out as he took another breath and bathed in the sense of home he suddenly felt. He was so content he might as well could have fallen asleep as he stood, if not Billy had begun speaking in the same moment.

''Alexander. Joar. This, '' he gestured towards the old man and the woman on the couch. ''Is Quil Ateara and Sue Clearwater. Both members of the council.'' Billy's voice was solemn. Both people in question sent him and his cousin a small, but friendly, smile. Alex nodded his greeting, taking his chance to have a better look at them.

There sure wasn't anything threatening about either of them. The woman, he saw, had almost invisible lines around her eyes and her mouth from a life full of smiles. Her big brown eyes were warm and friendly as he met them, and he suddenly felt more at ease. She was, he knew, totally human. Quil Ateara on the other hand… He had to be the other Quil Ateara's grandfather or something. He wasn't exactly hostile, but there was just something about him. Maybe it was because of his smile, which didn't make it all the way to his eyes. The old man stared at him from behind his glasses, but when Alexander met his gaze, he quickly averted his eyes.

''As of what I can hear, you have already met young Quil, Brady and Collin. So that leaves us with… Boys! we have discussed this before! Tallest people in the back! I like to see everyone as I speak to them!'' Brady quickly stepped aside, leaving room for _her_ to come forward. There was a bit of bustle as Billy kept speaking. ''Well, that leaves us with Leah.''

But Alex didn't hear that. He didn't hear the greetings that Sam or Jacob or Jared or Embry or Paul voiced a few seconds later. He didn't notice the smirk Joar sent him, nor the puzzled look in his cousin's eyes as he laid his eyes upon him. What he did see, was copper. Shining, smooth copper, and the most beautiful warmth when she honoured him with a glance. For a time, the world seemed to stop moving, as if time stood still, leaving no room for even such a simple thing as breathing. He was captured by the long, volume lashes that gently touched her upper cheeks as she blinked in astonishment.

Her big beautiful eyes were wide as her lips parted slightly, but never once did she break the contact their souls shared by averting her eyes from his. He felt the urge to go to her, to claim those soft lips for himself and show the world that she belonged to no other than him, and him alone. He could hear her heart speeding up its pace after skipping a few beats, just as he heard his own do the same. The more hollow beats that throbbed through him, the more he felt like the world started spinning again, but something was off. Something was different. It wasn't going the same way. Or, maybe it was him that was no longer going in the same direction. He was almost beginning to feel dizzy. His blood had obviously changed its direction, and those veins who had just a few minutes ago had returned the blood which had been forsaken by oxygen, now merrily pumped it back into his body with a renewed energy he did not recognise.

He let his eyes wander for maybe a second, to capture the rest of her. Jet black hair framed her perfect, symmetric, goddess-looking face, which oozed of beauty and perfection. A simple grey shirt followed her curves gracefully while exposing the curve of her collarbone. The jeans were at least as simple, but twice as showing, as they sat perfectly tight, showing a pair of long legs and a round rear. In less than a thousandth of a second, she caught his eyes again, only to have his traitorous venom pooling in his mouth. He swallowed hard, feeling the cool substance make its way through his throat and he was vaguely aware that someone was saying something somewhere. But he hadn't got enough brain cells to focus on who or what that someone was saying, which was odd since he, because of his endless supernatural abilities, always had been the one they could rely on to hear and observe _everything._ But today, those _everythings_ were too platonic to have his attention.

As if in slow motion, he first saw a little flickering by the corner of her mouth. It gracefully formed itself into a beautiful, shining smile as he immediately adored as soon as he had seen it. It was quickly accompanied by a light blush to her cheeks as they stared at each other, both knowing what had just happened. He had after more than five hundred years walking this earth, found his imprintee, and she had found hers.

* * *

 **And so it begins? How will the packs react to hearing about their im** **printing? How will _Leah_ find things to be after finally getting what she wants? Thank you for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!**


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